Bad things make you stronger
by nessie88
Summary: Somtimes bad things can happen and we dont even see it coming. These events shape our lives and make us who we are, as Percy will find out when he is violently attacked by his step father.
1. Chapter 1

Author's note; Hey everyone, just to let you know, this story is based on the movie Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief. I've kind of done things backwards. I saw the film recently and as a result, have started reading the books but I want to portray Percy as being older. I hope that is ok with everyone.

Warning; later chapters will contain scenes of rape. If any reader is offended by this subject, I have given you all fair warning.

Disclaimer; the characters featured in this story do not belong to me; I'm just playing with them.

CHAPTER ONE

It had been a long day at Yancy Academy. Nothing out of the ordinary had happened. Just the same old classes, same old teachers and same old boredom. The mundane repetition of the school day grated on everyone, tedious tasks forced upon reluctant students, that would rather be anywhere but in the classroom. Percy Jackson never was much of an academic, but Grover was always there to push him when he needed pushing. Being Percy's best friend, Grover Underwood was by his side, enduring the same monotonous six hours, Monday to Friday without fail. If it was left to Percy, he would sit at the back of class listening to his I-Pod all day. School just didn't come naturally to him, it never had. ADHD doesn't fit well in a classroom, even though Yancy was specially equipped for teenagers with that particular attribute. The day seemed to drag on and on, with the exception of lunch which had been way to short for anyone's liking, but all in all, it had been as uneventful as usual.

The bell finally rang, announcing the end of the school day and Percy was glad to get out of the place. His dyslexia had been playing up big time and his head was now pounding from the strain.

"Hey Percy, wait up!" Grover shouted over the crowd that was quickly gathering in the halls. It was hard trying to manoeuvre through the hoard of teenagers flooding the building. His crutches often striking his fellow students shins or stabbing into their feet, but he caught up to Percy just as he was exiting the front door of the academy.

"Hey, hey Perce, didn't you hear me calling?" Grover said as he grabbed Percy by the shoulder, effectively stopping him in his tracks. Percy spun around to greet his best friend. He had an almost unreadable expression on his face. If Grover hadn't known Percy for as long as he had, he never would have noticed the slightest glint of dread lurking behind his eyes.

"Oh...um...sorry Grover. I just didn't see ya...I...."

"What's wrong?" Grover asked before allowing Percy to finish speaking. Whatever it was had his friend worried and it bothered him.

Grover had always looked out for Percy. He was always there for him, no matter what the problem, and he knew when his friend needed someone to talk to. Ever since Percy had started at Yancy, Grover had all but attached himself to the boy. Percy had thought it a little strange at first but as time went on, he found himself relying on Grover. Probably more than he should, but he was having quite a hard time at home since his mom had married his step-dad Gabe.

The man was a pig. Dirty, rude, lazy and intimidating. Percy hated him and Gabe hated Percy. Whenever Percy was alone with him, it was unbearable. Sometimes it would be silent, just the odd piercing look of hatred from Gabe, directed purely at his wife's son. Other times there would be violence. An elbow in the ribs or an unexpected leg jutting out from under the table as Percy would walk by. An act of malice, often resulting in Percy sprawled out on the ground, sporting a cut of bruise as he hit the odd piece of furniture on his way down. Of Course Gabe would instantly apologise, claiming it was accidental. Always with an unnerving undertone of sarcasm thrown in for good measure, but they both knew the truth. Unfortunately the same couldn't be said for Sally. Whenever she questioned the fresh injuries marring her son's body, Percy would always give her an excuse. Whether it be falling down the stairs or walking into the cupboard door, she was never entirely convinced.

The only reason Sally kept quiet about it all was that she knew Percy would be in greater danger if Gabe wasn't around. Percy was oblivious to the fact that he was a demigod. A secret truth that only a handful of people knew about, Percy's best friend Grover being one of the few. To be the child of an Olympian God is extremely hazardous. Said child often attracting the unwanted attentions of some of the most fearsome creatures known to man. Sally would endure anything to keep her child safe, even if it meant tolerating the disgusting man she had married. She would never have lowered herself to being with Gabe if she didn't need his repulsive odour to mask Percy's scent from the monsters waiting to attack. It was the awful fact of the matter, something Sally was never fully comfortable with. But she knew it was for the best, even if Percy could never know himself.

As for Percy lying about his injuries, well that was all in aid of protecting his mother. He knew she had a hard time of things. What with Percy's ADHD and dyslexia proving a lot to handle, she also had to contend with Gabe's mood swings. He treated her like a slave, ordering her about as if her only purpose in life was to serve him. Time and time again Percy would have heated arguments with her. Always centring around Gabe. He just couldn't understand why she was with him. Why she allowed herself to be treated so poorly. The only answer Percy ever got from his mother was that Gabe had done a lot for them and he just wouldn't understand.

She was right about one thing. He didn't understand. He gave up arguing his point a long time ago. Mainly for the simple fact that he couldn't bear upsetting his mother any more. She had so much on her plate that most of the time he would just grin and bear it, unwilling to cause any more conflict at home than there already was between him and his step-father.

"Percy, talk to me man. What's the matter?" Grover said, instantly shaking Percy from his thoughts.

"Oh, my mom's working late tonight. Inventory, ya know. Gabe's having a poker night." And that's all Grover needed to know.

Poker nights were bad for Percy. Gabe used them as a chance to show off to his buddies, prove to them that he was the master of the house. They all took great pleasure out of humiliating Percy. Sometimes that was worse than the violence.

"Right, you go home and grab your bathing suit. Meet me at the pool in an hour. You won't have to spend too much time at home tonight if we do that. Makes things a little more bearable." Grover looked at Percy, waiting for a response.

"Thanks Grover, you're a good friend." Percy replied, the tension in his voice slowly disappearing. He didn't want to go home at all, but he had to drop his school books off and he wanted to see his mom before she left for work. It felt like they never spent any time together anymore. She always seemed to be working or running around after Gabe, so Percy was left to his own devices. Grover was his safety net and Percy was grateful for that. He didn't like being alone, especially now that he was becoming more and more separated from Sally.

The boys parted ways, Grover heading towards the hotdog stand at the end of the street, Percy anxiously making his way back to his apartment. Every step he took seemed to get heavier as he grew closer to his building. He had knots in his stomach, but he wasn't quite sure why. He had the nagging feeling that something wasn't right. He just couldn't put his finger on it.

Pushing those thoughts out of his mind, he decided to focus on going to the pool. Everything was better when he was in the water. For some unknown reason, he felt safe.

Percy reached his apartment building and slowly began climbing the stairs to the third floor. He put his key in the lock and opened the door, half expecting to see Gabe's ugly face staring at him from the couch but all h saw was his mother. She was dressed in her uniform ready to head out the door.

"Hey Mom, I didn't think you were going in this early." Sally could hear a slight quiver in her son's voice. She immediately walked over to Percy and put her warm arms around him. Percy leaned into the hug, breathing in his mother's scent and trying desperately to soak her warmth into his body. He missed her and it was these moments when he realised it the most.

"I wish I didn't have to go, you know that don't you?" She asked Percy, gently kissing his dark hair. "What are you gonna do with yourself tonight?"

Percy reluctantly broke away from the hug. He looked at his mother's face, her expression seemed pained, worried.

"I'm meeting Grover at the pool. Gonna try and stay out of Gabe's way."

"Good idea honey, I'll be back as soon as I can. I love you."

"Love ya too mom." Percy watched his mother leave with a lump in his throat. He wanted to be strong but it was hard. Swallowing down his anxiety, Percy headed to his bedroom, threw his school bag on his bed and set about finding his trunks. He was meeting Grover at 5:00pm but Percy planned on getting out of the house before his step father got home. He wanted to be in the water, he always did.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's note; OK people, this chapter is taking so long that I have decided to split it in two and post two what I have written so far. Sorry if it seems unfinished, but hopefully the second half of chapter 2 won't take so long. Thank you all for your reviews and being so patient.

CHAPTER TWO

Percy and Grover spent three hours at the pool. Grover sat on the viewing benches, Percy submerged in the water. Grover never went swimming, something that Percy didn't understand. He couldn't get his head around the fact that not everyone loved the water like he did.

To Percy, it felt like being wrapped in a blanket, the cool swaying currents gently lulling him, filling him with a sense of security that he failed to find anywhere else. Even Sally couldn't recreate the safety he felt when he was in the water. It was just one of life's little mysteries.

It was ten minutes before closing time when Percy finally dragged himself out of the pool. He looked at the clock and instantly his heart sank. The hours had seemed to rush by like minutes and now it was time to go home and face the music.

Trying to avoid Gabe until his mom got home was going to be a challenge. It was a solid fact that their drunken rowdiness would increase tenfold as soon as Percy got home, that is unless he could, somehow manage to sneak past the group. That, of course, was nearly impossible as the kitchen was situated directly behind the front door of their apartment. Percy had tried that tactic a few times before but was never successful.

Grover sat out in the foyer while Percy set about drying himself off and getting dressed. He took his time, trying to delay the inevitability of returning home. He wasn't looking forward to the evening of guaranteed verbal abuse that was to come.

Gabe and his gang of alcoholic layabouts could be considerably vicious with their language and sometimes extremely intimidating. They thought that bullying Percy was the best sport around, and they enjoyed every moment of it immensely. Despite the nastiness of these encounters, Percy was very strong willed, always taking the abuse with great fortitude. He would stand tall and take everything that was thrown at him, never showing any cracks in his armour.

He would hold his crushing emotions back until they grew bored of him. Percy would retreat to his room where he would vent all of his pent up frustrations. Sometimes he would cry, gasping sobs that shook through his whole body until there were no more tears left to shed. Other times he would put his feelings down on paper. He found that the latter option was less painful. Nobody chooses to cry if they have any other option.

Over the years since Gabe had arrived on the scene, Percy had filled three notebooks with his private thoughts. They were filled with distressing paragraphs of his psychological torture. Percy often flicked through those sullen pages, trying to understand how he had gotten himself into this mess. He never got an answer.

After several calls from various members of staff requesting stragglers to get a move on, Percy emerged from the changing rooms, his damp hair in disarray from vigorous towel drying and a sorrowful look on his face. He walked over to where Grover had waited patiently for him and together they left the building. It was dark outside, the only light shining from surrounding apartment windows and street lamps. The faint glow barely lit the area but they were in a busy part of town and both felt comfortable enough to part ways.

"Percy, are you sure you don't want me to come back to your place?" Grover asked. He could see Percy was anxious.

"Nah, it'll be fine. Gabe's probably too drunk to pay any attention to me by now. Thanks for the offer though."

Percy new that as soon as he walked through the door, all Gabe's attention would be on him, whether he was drunk or not. He just didn't want to risk anyone witnessing his humiliation. Especially his best friend. Percy never gave Grover any details. The sheer horror of his friend taking pity on him and treating him differently was something Percy just couldn't handle.

"OK man, if you're sure. Just call me if you need me, I'll be there in a shot." Grover left Percy with a parting clap on the shoulder and started making his way home.

Percy didn't know where Grover lived. He had never been invited to his home but considering they already spent most of their time together, the subject of Grover's living arrangements never came up. Neither did his parents. Percy always assumed that it was something Grover just never wanted to talk about.

Of course, that wasn't the case. Grover lived at Camp Half Blood. A secret dwelling, where all demigods aware of their unusual heritage resided. It was protected from human eyes and ancient monsters alike. A safe haven for those who could no longer protect themselves.

Percy walked the nine blocks back to his apartment with his heavy eyes glued firmly to the ground. He resembled an inmate on death row, taking one last walk around the prison yard before his unavoidably execution. However, passers by barely noticed the condemned boy as he sauntered home.

The ten minute walk home took Percy twenty and as he reached his apartment building he wished it had taken him longer. Sucking in a shaky breath he entered through the large wooden doors and proceeded to climb the three flights of stairs to his floor, each step feeling as heavy as lead pounding the ground. As he approached the door to his apartment, Percy could hear the drunken laughter of his step father and his friends echoing inside.

He slowly reached for his key, retrieving it from the back pocket of his jeans and with an unsteady hand, pushed it into the lock. He hesitated for a moment before turning the key and opening the door.

Instantly the stale odour of beer and cigarettes filled Percy's nostrils. The room was engulfed in smoke, creating a dense fog that swirled around the entire room. Percy stepped inside, closing the door behind him as quietly as he possibly could. Gabe hadn't noticed him yet. He was too busy chugging back a bottle of bud and scratching his oversized stomach. The five men sat at the table looked bloated from their alcohol intake of the evening, all of them covered in a light sheen of sweat from sitting at the small kitchen table for several hours, attempting to play poker. Percy thought to himself; how the hell could his mom allow these animals to come into her home and take over.

It was then that Percy was spotted.

"Hey Gabe, the punk's here." A short, fat man named Joe said. He had a red, pig like face covered in coarse, dark stubble. Small, beady eyes, half closed due to the largeness of his cheeks and a tiny, puckered mouth that gave the impression he was constantly sucking on a lemon.

"That kid's a sneaky little fucker, didn't even hear the bastard come in." Another one of Gabe's gang added. Unlike Joe, he was tall with the slightest hint of muscle hidden beneath his wrinkled shirt and leather jacket. His name was Max, one of Gabe's better looking pals but also one of the worst for torturing Percy. It seemed that more often than not, he would attend these gatherings specifically to rip into the boy. He had dark brown hair that almost reached his shoulders and equally dark eyes to match. He had a menacing attitude and was nearly always Gabe's right hand man when it came to Percy and poker nights. The last time he was in the apartment, Max had followed Percy to his bedroom, shoving him up against his door in the hallway. Max had taken hold of Percy's arms, pinning him in place. He didn't say a word, he just stared at Percy, his face mere inches from the boy. He had a sinister look in his eyes, coupled with the close contact of their body's, Percy became extremely uncomfortable. The way Max had acted towards him that day terrified Percy. Even though the entire incident had only lasted a few seconds, it shook him up pretty bad and left him with matching bruises on each arm.

The two remaining men at the kitchen table were similar in size, both around six feet tall with average builds. The one sat closest to the front door was called Bob. He had mousey brown hair and a neatly combed moustache. He wore a pair of thick rimmed glasses that rested on the tip of his nose. He looked like a librarian, quiet and intelligent but Percy knew the truth. Bob rarely got involved in the physical abuse inflicted on Gabe's step son but would happily watch the proceedings with a cruel smile on his face, adding a snide comment here and there.

The final member of Gabe's hoard was Carl. He had short black hair and a clean shaven face. He always dressed in a suit which made him look out of place with the other guys but he was no different from the rest of them. His preferred form of abuse was verbal humiliation. While the others were cruel and sadistic, Carl would pace around and patronise Percy. He loved to treat him like a child, shouting remarks like; "Oh, you're not gonna cry are you?" And "Stop being a fucking baby, we're just playing with ya."

Together, these men were unrelenting. Percy didn't stand a chance.

"Get your stupid ass over here boy!" Gabe shouted, making Percy jump. "C'mon, we aint got all night." The group abandoned their cards and watched as Percy dropped his sports bag by the front door and slowly walked towards them. They were gonna have fun with him tonight.

Percy gave little away as far as his facial expressions went, but his body language was a different matter altogether. His whole frame was rigid. He tried to relax his muscles and seem unaffected by the dire situation he was in, but something in his subconscious wouldn't let it drop. As soon as he reached the table a huge fist flew at him, driving itself into his gut. Percy doubled over, clutching his throbbing abdomen as he collapsed to his knees, struggling to catch his breath. He choked on the rancid, smoky air as it slowly started to fill his lungs again, causing him to moan in pain. The gang of burly men simultaneously burst into fits of laughter, spittle flying from their mouths as they rocked back and forth on the solid wooded dining chairs.

The first punch came from Max. It took Percy by surprise, because in the past, things had always started off verbally. It seemed that the guys liked to taunt Percy; they enjoyed working their way up to the violence. This was new.

As Percy remained crouched on the ground, struggling to regain his composure, he heard his step father shift around at the table. The strong legs of his chair scraped along the floor; he rose from his seat and looked down at the boy in front of him. Percy sensed that Gabe was hovering over him like a vulture, which made him very apprehensive, so in an attempt to level the playing field a little bit, he began to pull himself up off the floor. Percy lifted his arm, hunting for something substantial to heave himself out of his prone position. His searching hand found the edge of the table, the other still cradling his aching torso and he slowly pulled one of his legs free from underneath him. With that, Gabe pounced. The intoxicated man shoved his size nine boot into the small of Percy's back with lightning speed. This action left Percy flat on his stomach, his cheek pressed to the floor.

"Dogs don't walk on two legs you little prick. Stay down in the dirt where you belong." Gabe hissed at Percy. He twisted the heel of his boot deeper into the boy's back for good measure then returned to his seat, cracking open yet another beer.

"Let's play gentlemen." Bob said, pushing his thick glasses back up to rest on the bridge of his nose. The rest of the group sniggered amongst themselves and continued their game, all taking turns to kick 'the dog' as he lay on the floor next to them.

Percy stayed down; he figured it was safer that way. If he played along, they would eventually get bored with him and let him retreat to his room. He remained under the table for around fifteen minutes, taking every kick as silently as he could. He wasn't going to give these pigs what they wanted. Whenever Percy cried out the men would simply get more excited, resulting in the boy's torment to increase tenfold. For some sick reason they loved to hear him scream.

As Carl was just about to give Percy yet another knock, the telephone began to ring, shrilling loudly throughout the apartment. Percy flinched at the sound, praying that it was his mother on the line, calling to say she was on her way home. Gabe got up from the table and walked over to the wall mounted telephone, picking up the receiver. He walked out of the kitchen and into the other room to take the call. Percy strained to hear what was being said, but the commotion coming from Gabe's poker buddies was too much of a racket to hear anything other than hushed mumbling.

Gabe was out of the room barely five minutes when he returned to his friends with a smug look on his face.

"So who was that on the phone Gabe?" Joe asked, curious as to why his friend was in such a cheerful mood all of a sudden.

"That was Sally; she ain't coming home so we got all night to do what the fuck we want." Gabe answered. He watched the crowd in front of him as they all looked at each other in turn, smiles beginning to creep into the corners of their mouths.

"Why isn't she coming back?" Percy asked weakly from his spot on the floor. He tried to stop the words from passing his lips but hearing that his Mom was staying out all night sent a shockwave of panic through his already terrified body. The question earned him a kick to the ribs, so fierce that the force of it pushed him onto his back.

"Who the fuck said you could talk, HUH?" Gabe snarled at the boy from his towering position. The other occupants of the room stayed silent. They were enjoying the show and were all interested in how their 'pet' would react.

Instinctively, Percy used all his strength to push himself up off the ground and back into a standing position. He didn't want to seem weak in front of these bastards.

"Just tell me Gabe!" Percy said, with noticeable defiance in his voice. Gabe looked the boy up and down, scrutinising him before he decided to answer his step son.

"If you must know, she ain't gonna be done 'til four a.m. She's back n work at eight so she's gonna stay at Tess's place tonight. Save on cab fare."

Sally worked with Tess and Percy had met her only a couple of times. He didn't blame his mother for wanting to save a little cash. Gabe had a nasty habit of stealing from her. He just couldn't believe is damn bad luck. Why tonight, why tonight.

Percy was pulled from his thoughts as he felt Gabe's stinking breath hit his face. He leaned in close to the boy's ear.

"But don't you worry princess, I'll take real good care of her when she when she gets back tomorrow. Your precious Mommy won't be able to walk for a week after the pounding I'm gonna give her. She's a hot fuck, your Mom." An evil smirk spread onto Gabe's face as he watched Percy react from that statement.

He was seething. Percy hated even thinking of that man touching his mother, let alone hearing it from the horse's mouth. All of a sudden he raised his arms, throwing them at Gabe's chest as hard as he could. The strike pushed the balding man backwards three feet where he connected painfully with the sink unit.

"Don't talk about my Mom like that!" Percy screamed, his face turning red with fury. Everybody in the room laughed at the boy. This is what they had been waiting for. A little fire, something to make him fight back. Resistance always made the games more enjoyable. One by one the men rose from their seats and circled Percy in the centre of the kitchen.

"Awww, what's the matter sweetie, you missing your Mommy?" Carl gloated, ruffling Percy's hair as if he was a toddler. Percy swung his arm towards Carl, he wanted to punch him but he knew he was no match for the businessman. He settled for pushing his patronising hand away.

"Oh, c'mon little baby, don't upset yourself. She'll be back tomorrow." Bob added with mock sympathy in his voice.

"And we will look after you 'til then." Said Max, he had an odd expression on his face, one that Percy couldn't figure out. He was getting really scared now.

"Just leave me the hell alone!" Percy yelled from the centre of the circle. He was feeling more and more helpless as the minutes ticked by.

"Listen bitch, your Mommy is married to me. That means if I wanna fuck her, I god damn will. You got that Percy?" Gabe sneered. He had rejoined the circle of men, not even slightly fazed by his sudden collision with the sink.

"Stop saying that!" Percy yelled in response. "She's my Mom; I don't wanna hear shit like that!" He was ranting now. He had never been this scared before and he just didn't know what to do.

"Did you hear that boys? He doesn't wanna hear it." Pig face Joe said, joining the unusual conversation, thick grey smoke trickling from his mouth as he chewed on a cigar. "Who the fuck do you think you are, little boy?" He added rhetorically, shoving one of his sausage sized fingers into the kid's chest. Percy didn't say anything for fear of things getting any worse. He was starting to shake now, unsure as to whether it was from anger or fear, but he knew he wasn't going to get away from these maniacs unscathed.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's note; Here is the next instalment for you, hope you like it.

Thank you, everyone who reviewed. Sorry it is taking me so long to update, but I am a perfectionist and want to give you guys the best story I can. Enjoy.

CHAPTER THREE

Percy stood motionless in the middle of the kitchen. He had nowhere to run, surrounded by five repulsively vile men all staring daggers at him. He slowly pivoted on the spot, searching for some king of gap in their barricade to escape through, but all he found were amused faces and piercing eyes.

"Look guys, you've had your fun. Can I go to sleep?" Percy asked gingerly. He knew the answer would be no but it was worth a shot.

"You know what your problem is?" Max said in response. "I think you're jealous."

"What do you mean?" Percy sighed. He just wanted to be left alone. He didn't have the energy to play guessing games right now. He tried to keep eye contact with Max as the man approached. He wanted to show these men that he wasn't afraid of them. Max was stood right in front of Percy now and being six feet tall, he hovered over the kid.

He bent forward and sneered in Percy's face. "You're jealous that your Mommy gets all the action while you get forgotten about."

"Now that you mention it..." Gabe chipped in, a grin as wide as the Cheshire cat's on his stubbly face.

"Awww, you poor little darling. Do you feel left out?" Bob added, mirroring Gabe's ridiculous expression.

"Well, we can't have that now can we." Joe stated, leaning back against the tall refrigerator, enjoying the commencing display of abuse.

Percy furrowed his brow in utter confusion. What the hell were these bastards getting at? He was really starting to regret his reaction to Gabe's filthy comments now. He didn't like where this was going.

"You're crazy; I don't have a clue what you're talking about. Please, just let me leave." Percy pleaded, but he knew it was pointless.

Carl walked over to where Max and Percy stood. Casually slinging an arm over his buddies shoulder, he mimicked him, leaning down to Percy's level.

"I'm sure we can fix your little problem Percy. C'mon Max, let's show the puppy what he's been missing."

The moment those words left Carl's mouth, an unnerving silence descended on the six males within the apartment. No body mover for what seemed like an eternity, but eventually the quiet was lifted by the sound of feet shuffling along the floor. Those feet belonged to Percy. He was subconsciously backing away from Max and Carl. The look in their eyes was terrifying him and he knew that he had to get away from them, however he could.

His retreat was cut short suddenly as he felt Gabe grab him from behind, tightly holding his arms in a vice like grip.

"Where ya going princess? The fun's just getting started." Gabe scoffed from behind his step son.

Percy instantly began to struggle, twisting and turning, straining with every ounce of strength he had left to break loose from the man holding onto him. As he tried to pull away from the restraining hands of his step father, Gabe adjusted his grip, wrapping his strong arms around Percy in a crushing bear hug. Percy reacted by kicking his unrestricted legs out in front of him. His aim hit the mark and caught Carl square in the gut, causing him to double over and effectively postponing his charge, but that did little to deter Max's approach.

Together, Max and Gabe managed to manoeuvre the almost hysterical Percy into the middle of the kitchen, once again placed in the centre of the mob of men, all of which had unreadable expressions. Percy was forced onto his knees, one of Max's large hands entwined in the back of his dishevelled mop of black hair.

He yelped in discomfort as Max yanked his head back forcefully, enabling his poker buddies to get a good look at the boy in his degrading position. Percy's eyes darted from person to person as his anxiety increased. His chest was heaving as he tried to take some deep breaths in an attempt to calm himself down. His entire body was wracked with intense trembling and his vision was starting to blur from the consuming fear welling up in the pit of his stomach.

"Please..." Percy whispered, closing his eyes in inescapable defeat. That was the only word he was able to force out of his mouth. Although Percy had screwed his eyes shut as tightly as he could, the men surrounding him were all able to see the tears he tried so desperately to subdue, leak out from under his lids and start to bead on his eyelashes.

"Augh geese, you're not crying are you? I knew you were a fucking baby." Bob gloated. Once Percy had been placed on his knees, he had moved over to stand next to Joe, both of them with their backs to the refrigerator. Bob had followed Joe's lead and now, he too was puffing on a thick cigar.

"Hey, let's wash those tears away huh." Gabe suggested. "What kind of Daddy would I be if I didn't look after you?"

He strolled over to Percy and without warning, emptied his bottle of beer onto the boy. The ice cold liquid caused Percy to gasp as it hit his body, trailing unpleasantly down his spine and soaking through his clothes. The coldness bit into his muscles as his wet T-shirt clung annoyingly to his skin and he found himself coughing and spluttering as the beer was poured in his face, robbing him of sight and air.

The crowded kitchen erupted with laughter at the sight of Percy, dripping wet and shivering in front of them. He looked totally helpless and completely at their mercy, which made the games so much more exciting.

Max, who still had hold of Percy's hair, bent down and leaned towards his ear. Percy tried to jerk his head away from the man but Max's hand held strong as he whispered.

"I just love wet t-shirts, and you are by far, the best looking slut around."

"GET THE FUCK OFF OF ME!" Percy screamed. He renewed his erratic struggling, desperate to get away. He felt the hairs ripping from the back of his neck but he didn't care. The adrenalin coursing through his veins was enough to dull the pain and he continued with all his strength to break free from Max's hold on him.

Before Percy realised what was happening, he felt the full force of Carl's fist smash into his jaw. The blow instantly immobilised the boy, causing his head to jerk violently to one side, blood seeping from his mouth where his lip had split on impact.

Percy was now free from Max's grip but unable to take advantage of that fact. He was hunched over on his knees, clutching his aching jaw. The punch had knocked him for six and for a moment he forgot where he was. All he could think about was the blinding pain spiking its way through his skull.

Once Percy had regained a small amount of composure, he withdrew his hands from his mouth. They were stained red with his blood. The sight turned the boy's stomach.

"Please..." Percy stuttered.

"PLEASE WHAT?" Carl roared. His booming voice echoed throughout the apartment and Percy nearly jumped out of his skin at his sudden outburst.

"Please don't hurt me." Percy begged, his voice barely above a whisper. Poker nights had never been this bad before and he didn't know how much more he could take.

"HA, one tiny punch and the brat's begging for mercy. Your step-son's such a faggot Gabe." Joe guffawed loudly. His beady eyes were glued to Percy as he continued to laugh at the boy's pitiful request. His meaty cheeks turned pink as he chuckled along with the rest of the group who had all joined in. They were all tanked up to the eyeballs, swaying slightly from side to side and the evenings events were becoming more out of hand than ever before. The night was completely unplanned but all the men were enjoying the party, relishing the power they held over Percy.

The laughter soon died down to quiet huffs, each man relaxing back into his own drunken state.

Max knelt down in front of Percy, roughly grabbing hold of his chin and forcing the boy to look at him. His smokey breath wafted onto Percy's face and once again he tried to pull away. He was cut short when he felt his shoulders back into Carl's strong legs. He was sandwiched between the two men, bruised and bleeding. Shivering from cold and fear. He knew he couldn't escape what these men had planned for him, but he sure as hell wasn't going to make it easy for them.

Percy stared back at Max with steel in his eyes. He looked at the man with contempt and hatred burning deep within his aching body. It was the only form of defiance he could muster in his dire situation, but it had no effect on his abuser. Max returned Percy's hateful glare, his dark eyes boring into the boy.

"I think we better get you out of those wet clothes." Max stated, matter of factly.

"We don't want you to catch cold now do we?" Carl said rhetorically, slowly lowering himself over Percy.

Together Max and Carl tore at Percy's shirt, all three of them locked in a vicious struggle over the dampened clothing. Percy's heart was racing; he just couldn't catch his breath as he strained to keep hold of his t-shirt and his dignity.

Percy fought desperately with the large men, punching and kicking at whatever part of their bogies he could reach. He wasn't going to give up, no matter how badly they hurt him.

Percy's erratically flailing limbs were not enough to prevent Max and Carl from removing his clothes, especially with the injuries he had already earned from Gabe and his friends earlier on in the evening. The flimsy material ripped at the seams under the brutes ministrations. The wet cotton hit the ground in one dull, sloppy thud as the men tossed the ruined t-shirt aside, now turning their attention to Percy's jeans.

As Carl struggled to lift Percy high enough for Max to pull off his pants, Bob decided to join the scuffle, taking one of Percy's arms, Carl grabbing the other. Together the men were able to overpower the hysterical teenager, allowing Max to unbutton his jeans and yank them free from Percy's quivering legs.

Once Max had discarded Percy's pants, he returned to his appalling task, tearing off Percy's underwear in one swift movement and robbing the boy of his last vestige of clothing.

The three men released the boy from their clutches, allowing him to fall in a heap on the wet, beer stained kitchen floor.

"Stand up!" Gabe shouted from his viewing spot in front of the sink. Percy was hunched over in a tight ball. It was as if he was trying to curl in on himself, shrink into the smallest position he could contort his slim body into. He wanted to disappear.

"Didn't you hear me princess? I said GET THE FUCK UP!" Gabe repeated himself, a cross between annoyance and amusement in his growling voice. He strolled over to Percy, who had remained, unmoving in his cowering stance. Gabe grabbed a fist full of his step-sons dark hair and pulled the boy up into a standing position.

Percy used his hand in a feeble attempt to cover himself from the five sets of eyes all glaring in his direction. He hung his head low in an effort to hide his burning cheeks from view as he stood there, naked and alone.


End file.
